David Benavidez’s move to cruiserweight has already pushed him into bigger conversations, with Oleksandr Usyk appearing on a PBC “Who’s Next?” graphic after Benavidez stopped Gilberto Ramirez in the sixth round to win at 200 pounds.
The shortlist also included Canelo Alvarez, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Usyk, however, is the most complicated name on the list.
The heavyweight champion is scheduled to face Rico Verhoeven on May 23, while WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel remains in position for a mandatory shot. That title situation could make any Usyk-Benavidez scenario difficult unless a major belt is clearly attached.
For Benavidez, the risk of facing Usyk would likely need to come with a significant reward. A fight with the heavyweight champion would bring huge attention, but the route would depend heavily on sanctioning-body politics and Usyk’s own plans.
Canelo remains the biggest commercial option, while Bivol and Beterbiev still carry major legacy value. Usyk is the wild card - a name that stretches Benavidez’s ambitions beyond cruiserweight and into heavyweight territory.
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